Janice Silvia

Janice A. (Breen) Silvia, 77, affectionately known to those that loved her as Granny Janny (GJ) of Mail Coach Rd, Portsmouth passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her family on Wednesday, July 13, 2022 after a brave14-month battle with Glioblastoma (brain cancer). She was the wife of the late Antone J. Silvia.

Jan was born in Newport, RI on Friday, April 13, 1945 to the late John F. and Dorothy L. (Carry) Breen. Jan and her family hailed from Princeton Street, Newport in the early years before moving to Ward Street in Middletown in the mid 1950s. She graduated from St. Catherine Academy and attended the Cape Cod Hospital School of Nursing. She returned to Newport and took a position at Newport Hospital. Shortly thereafter, she would meet Dr. Elie Cohen, Orthopedic Surgeon, who was starting his private practice. She would then begin her dream job working as his medical secretary and office manager for the next 40 years. This was not just a job to her, it was her second family. She loved all the Cohen's and her coworkers were like sisters to her. She had so many wonderful stories, memories and good times "at the office".

Jan and Tony were an active couple, spending time with the kids camping every weekend at Maple Park in Wareham, MA. Swimming, cookouts, enjoying the farm and cranberry bogs, and hayrides were their summers. In the early 1990s, they began spending leisure time at The Cove at Yarmouth and would take the grandchildren to the Cape every chance they could. The tradition of the family vacationing at The Cove is ongoing to this day. Jan and Tony also enjoyed bringing their bicycles to ride along the Cape Cod Canal bike paths. There are so many great memories of the Cape for our family, all created by Jan and Tony. In her retirement there was no stopping her, as she kept very active. She was an avid golfer and enjoyed playing at Green Valley. She and "the girls" would often meet for breakfast and would "head off the Island" to other golf courses as well. Jan enjoyed vacationing with her friends and family. Jan and her closest friend Barbara Pine would meet every Saturday night for pizza and wine, they attended concerts at the beach, took Zumba classes a couple of times a week at Common Fence Point Community Center. They enjoyed many shopping trips, meeting the girls at the beach in the late afternoons for dinner and had daily phone calls between them. It was a truly special friendship.

Jan had a great love for animals, especially her cats and would always volunteer to babysit and care of her grand dogs. She loved to join her family for walks at The Glen, often accompanied by the family's dogs. During her downtime she would make fluke rigs for BJ's fishing business. She also volunteered her time for various fundraisers and community events. Jan had a zest for life, she was the friendliest person you'd ever meet, a humanitarian whose star truly burned bright. Jan left an indelible mark on all and she will be greatly missed by her friends and family.

Jan is survived by her children, Shay Souza and her husband Roy of Middletown, Tina Little and Craig Hibbad of Little Compton, BJ Silvia and his wife Cindy of Portsmouth and Tony Silvia and his wife Alyssa of Middletown; her brothers, Robert Breen and his wife Patricia of Citrus Springs, Florida and William Breen and his wife Mary of West Greenwich; as well as her grandchildren, Benjamin Little and his fiance Alexi Widoff, Nicholas Little and Allysha Little, Taylor Dame and Corey Dame and Jack and Cooper Silvia.

Thank you to our family and friends for the outpouring of love and support during this difficult time. A very special thank you to everyone from Visiting Nurse Home and Hospice but especially Julie and Suzanne. You're special people to do what you do and your respect, compassion and care for our Granny Janny will never be forgotten.

Visiting hours will be held on Wednesday, July 20, from 5:00-8:00pm in the Connors Funeral Home, 55 West Main Road, Portsmouth.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, July 21 at 10:00am in St. Lucy's Church, 909 West Main Road, Portsmouth. Burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to the Visiting Nurse Home and Hospice, 1184 East Main Road, Portsmouth, RI 02871 or to the Three Angels Fund, P.O. Box 4003, Middletown, RI 02842.